CHLOE Magazine Fall Winter 2015 Volume 6 Issue 1 | Page 175

CHLOE MAGAZINE Further afoot, our adventures took us to the magical wonder of Krka National Park, a gorgeous area full of waterfalls, nymph-worthy trees and moss-covered little islands amidst the graceful Krka river, sourced at the foot of Dinara mountain. When you enter the pathway across the river, you are greeted by rich earthen aromas, jumping fish and singing frogs. The forests and waters are ancient and largely untouched, though Krka is also dotted by some old ruins that are worth a visit. Be warned however that some ruins you can only reach by hiking long pathways through the park on foot! There are also two other national parks in the area, so if you are a nature lover and explorer by nature, Primošten is the ideal home base. One of our favourite excursions was to Baćulov Dvor, an old house with a very old yet well preserved kitchen that is still in use to this day. The family that has owned the house for generations served us up some incredible traditional Croatian food and wine, all made on site. We had our absolute fill of olives, prosciutto, salami, cheese, fresh bread, dried figs, Babić wine and peka, a savoury and succulent meat, onion and potato stew in a delicious broth that is very traditional in Croatian cuisine. We also took a yacht out for a day to stop by some of the nearby islands and their pristine bays. Along the way, we spotted hilltop ruins and old U-boat caves. I even drove the 39-f ooter myself! The quaint island town of Privic Luka was beautiful from the water, and we took the boat to a small bay called Tijat, which is where the locals of Šibenik go to lounge and enjoy the pristine waters. Here, you can also anchor up your yacht to spend the night and receive yacht-side breakfast service. After the island of Hvar and the city of Dubrovnik, Split is probably the next most popular destination in Croatia as of yet (though we’re selling Primošten pretty hard). A trip there and you can see why Diocletian’s palace is large, impressive, and still lived in by many of Split’s residents! Whilst many areas have been preserved and are viewable by ticket only, the palace is massive, and many people have taken up residence and opened restaurants, shops, markets and ice cream parlors in the palace, making it their house, home and city. The streets are narrow and all stone - truly Game of Thrones-esque in the style of the Free Cities and Meereen, specifically. So similar in fact that...oh, what do you know! Game of Thrones was being filmed there when we visited. In short, the villa was to high luxury standard, exclusive yet accommodating and friendly with every need met, and the area was unique, unforgettable and, as of yet, largely untainted by tourist hordes. Without a doubt, we will be retreating to the wonders of Primošten again soon to explore more of the gorgeous green lands, sapphire waters and rustic hilltop villages.